Everything's Not Lost
by LSupergirl
Summary: What if Tristin lost everything? Who could he turn to? Trory fic. Complete as of now, barring some unforeseen inspiration.
1. Welcome to Stars Hollow

  
Tristin stared blankly at the bare wall. The walls that had once been covered with the nuances of his life and the room that had once held rich furnishings and state of the art electronics were now as empty as he felt inside. He shook his head, as if trying to wake himself from the nightmare that was now his life. He took one last lingering look around the cold mansion that one might loosely describe as "home", then joined his parents outside, where they were waiting with what remained of their once exorbitant amount of possessions. Tristin climbed into the Mercedes, a remnant of the lifestyle they were being forced to give up. No one spoke as it pulled out of the driveway, away from the towering mansion and all that it represented. No words were needed.  
  
  
  
"Have I mentioned lately how much I enjoy these massacres disguised as dinners?" Lorelai asked brightly.  
  
Rory snickered softly to herself and concentrated on the swirling pattern of the tablecloth in front of her to keep the laughter from spilling out.  
  
"Honestly, Lorelai, can't you ever be serious?" sighed an exasperated Emily.  
  
"Nope, I'm only programmed for witty and charming." Another bright smile followed.  
  
They were at it again. "Is this a new tablecloth, grandma? I like it." Rory interjected.  
  
Emily beamed. "Why, yes it is. It was hand embroidered from a new Indonesian thread..."  
  
Lorelai rolled her eyes and discreetly rubbed her nose mockingly, in the universal sign for brown noser. Rory shrugged innocently.   
  
Though the weekly Friday night dinner wasn't the most harmonious event, it was an amusing distraction from the monotony of the long summer months. Not that she had much to complain about. She was satisfied with her summer thus far. True, her relationship with Dean had fizzled out days after the reconciliation. But both realized they were back together more out of a need for closure than lingering feelings. And so, Rory and Dean had broken up for the second (and final) time, with no hard feelings.   
  
Life had gone on for Rory. She hung out with Lane and her mom and consumed staggering amounts of Luke's coffee. She read and reread countless great literary classics and helped her mom at the inn. She even went to the club with her grandfather a few times in a vain attempt to improve her golf skills. But something was nagging her...something she couldn't place. She had this vague sensation in the pit of her stomach warning her that something was about to happen.  
  
The dinner conversation had gone on during Rory's inner monologue. She unconsciously filtered the information, a talent she had mastered after years of living in Stars Hollow with it's eccentric (but endearing) inhabitants. Her ears perked up at the mention of a familiar name, one with a huge amount of confusion and regret (on her part) attached to it.  
  
"What was that, grandpa?"  
  
Richard casually repeated the last piece of information he had been discussing with Emily while Lorelai idly shoveled her dinner around her plate.  
  
"Actually, this concerns someone you go to school with, Rory. Edward Dugrey lost almost everything in bad business investments. They had to sell their mansion and are actually moving to Stars Hollow. I'm helping Edward to salvage what he can..."  
  
The rest of the information was lost on Rory. She couldn't grasp the fact that Tristin's family, one of the most influential forces in Hartford, was...broke?  
  
  
The Mercedes sped down the highway, Tristin's thoughts flowing at a similar rate. Though he appeared cool and unaffected on the outside, he was deeply emotional on the inside. His rational side told him that everything would be okay. Before their deaths, his grandparents had set up a trust fund for college in his name. He had a full scholarship from Chilton for the rest of his high school career, provided he keeps his grades up. His near future was secure. His family was nowhere near destitute. Though most of their money was gone, they still had a good amount left, enough to be considered upper middle class. But in light of their previous wealth, what they had left seemed insufficient. His emotions, however, told a different story. Socially, he didn't know where he stood. He had few close friends, though he knew his true friends, the few people who saw his true self, would stand by him no matter what. The masses would shun him. Or worse, they would pity him. He would no longer be the suave rich boy, winning girls over wherever he went. But, he reminded himself, he wasn't interested in winning over the masses anyway. Not any more.   
  
Though he was struggling to keep his head above water, both physically and emotionally, one thought remained a warm presence, a lifeline. She wouldn't care about the money. She never had, as she had reminded him after he had tried to win her over with it time and time again. But that didn't change the fact that she still hated him. She was too good for him and he would never deserve her. She was everything that he was not. In place of money she had love and friendship. Instead of popularity she had individuality. Instead of the mask of indifference that so many Chiltonites wore, she instead was vibrant and real. And he loved her for it.   
  
It was amazing (though not surprising) to Tristin that in the midst of perhaps the most life altering event in his existence, he was still consumed with thoughts of Rory Gilmore. The girl who had done the impossible. The girl who had stolen his heart before he realized that it even existed.  
  
"WELCOME TO STARS HOLLOW" stated the small neat sign by the side of the road. Tristin smiled resolutely. He could do this. Maybe it was time to start living his life in the real world.  
  
  
  
  



	2. Deal

  
"You're awfully quiet," Lorelai observed on the way home from dinner.  
  
"I'm pondering the age old question: which came first, the chicken or the egg?"   
  
"Any conclusions?"  
  
"Further scientific analysis will yield more accurate results."  
  
"Good to know...now what's really bothering you."  
  
Rory sighed deeply. "I don't know. It's just that...I don't know. I mean, as long as I've known Tristin, he's been this arrogant rich guy who gets whatever he wants. But now...that's not who he is anymore. Maybe he never was. But I never bothered trying to find out what was under the superficial exterior and...even though he made me miserable, I just feel bad for him."   
  
Lorelai clucked sympathetically. "Of course you feel bad for Tristin. You're the nicest person in the world...unless it involves me borrowing a certain favorite sweater..." she paused meaningfully. "But seriously babe, this is something that Tristin has to work out for himself. He's going to have to rely on something other than his money to get him through life."  
  
"I know. And now he's going to be living in Stars Hollow...it just feels like everything is all messed up and we're in this bizarro world."  
  
"You know what fixes a bizarro world right up?" Lorelai asked as they neared Luke's. "Coffee!!"  
  
Rory brightened. "Good idea. Let's get some!"  
  
The jeep screeched to a halt in front of the shop labeled "HARDWARE". They pushed each other out of the way to the door. Inside was a crowd of people milling around. Snatches of conversation all blended together to form a cacophony of noise.  
  
"Did you see that Mercedes?"  
  
"I wonder what it was doing in Stars Hollow."  
  
"I think the gigantic U-Haul following it was a pretty good indication."  
  
"Looks like Stars Hollow's newest occupants have arrived," Lorelai whispered to Rory.  
  
Rory nodded, deep in thought. She was still thinking about Tristin. She had seen a glimpse of the man that he had the potential to become at Madeline's party. It was the first time she saw the real Tristin, not the image he projected to the world. And surprisingly, she liked the real Tristin. But that small glimpse had not lasted forever. After a few friendly conversations he had reverted back into his former self. By the last day of school, he had turned back into Evil Tristin. But Rory still remembered.  
  
Lorelai shoved the crowd out of the way to the counter. Rory sedately followed. "Luke! Give me a cup of the source of all life!"  
  
"You mean water?"  
  
"No I don't mean water!"  
  
"Cause water is the source of all life...ancient civilizations popping up near rivers and oceans and stuff."  
  
Lorelai smiled sweetly. "If you slit my wrists and bled me dry, the only liquid you would collect is coffee. I would be like Mr. Coffee, only they would call me Miss Coffee, and I don't know if you would actually want to drink anything from my wrist, but I'm heading into dangerous babbling territory due to lack of caffeine. Give. Me. Coffee. Now."   
  
"Alright, alright! Anything to get rid of you. Here." he said, handing over two steaming cups.  
  
"Ah..." Lorelai deeply inhaled the special aroma of Luke's coffee, before cautiously taking a swallow of the hot brew. She looked up to see a very preoccupied Rory. Lorelai gently tapped her on the arm, bringing her out of her reverie. "You know, maybe you should just make peace with Tristin. It will make you feel better, and it may even help him to deal with things."  
  
Rory sipped at her coffee. "Maybe you're right."  
  
"I know, I always am."   
  
  
  
The Mercedes pulled up in front of a pleasant looking two story house in the middle of a tree lined street. There was a wrap around porch and a very pretty garden. It had personality and warmth, unlike the detached modern style their mansion had possessed. Tristin immediately felt slightly better after giving the house a once over. This place actually felt like it could be...home.  
  
He sneaked a look at his parents. Though he knew both were under a great deal of stress and personal turmoil, he was surprised at the way that they had pulled together. Instead of further deteriorating their relationship, the bad business venture had somehow facilitated the rebuilding of the marriage. His parents had taken a step back, realized what was lacking in their lives, and fixed it. For the time being, there was nothing that could be done about the money. But their relationship was something tangible that could be improved upon. For too long, Edward and Alice Dugrey had put business and money above all else. Now they were finally putting family first. For the first time in his life, Tristin felt the effects of a healthy family. Not that everything was sunshine and roses. Far from it. But they were trying. Perhaps there was hope for him yet.  
  
Father and son went to work, helping the truck drivers unload their possessions from the U-Haul. Though most of the art, statues, and furniture had been sold, there was still a good amount of more tasteful furniture, personal items, and necessities such as dishes and clothes. Both were surprised when a large group of townspeople walked over, seemingly from a hardware store, to lend a hand. Back in Hartford, it had been tradition for the neighbors to spread rumors and gossip rather than help. In no time at all, the unloading was done. Then the introductions began. Taylor Doose from the market, Kirk the florist, Jackson the produce guy, Miss Patty, Babette, Maury...Tristin was caught in the center of the force that was the unofficial Stars Hollow welcome wagon.  
  
Salvation came in the form of a tall vivacious brunette and...Rory. While Lorelai busily shooed the well intentioned townspeople away, Rory shyly ducked her head and avoided eye contact with Tristin. Lorelai, having accomplished her mission, walked up to the Dugrey's, smiled, and stuck her hand out. "Hi, I'm Lorelai. This is my daughter Rory. Sorry about the "Our Town" reenactment, but we don't have cable here."  
  
Alice Dugrey looked at Lorelai closely. "Lorelai? Are you Richard and Emily Gilmore's girl?"  
  
"Aw shucks, you finally caught up with me. I didn't do it! Really!" Lorelai replied good naturedly. The Dugrey's faces broke into slow smiles before laughing out loud.   
  
"Your father is a good man. I owe him so much," said Edward sincerely. The adults began to converse, leaving Tristin and Rory standing by awkwardly.  
  
"So..." they said at the same time. They laughed nervously.  
  
"You go first..." they said in unison. More laughter.  
  
"I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry about the way I treated you this year. I was such an idiot and I really am sorry," Tristin said earnestly.  
  
"Just don't let it happen again," Rory joked. "And if you ever call me Mary again, I won't be held responsible for my actions and your subsequent murder."  
  
Tristin smiled. "Deal. So what did you want to say?"  
  
Rory blushed slightly. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry about...everything." Tristin understood immediately that she was referring to his family's financial turmoil. "If you ever need to talk or even not talk, I'll be around," she offered shyly.  
  
They both stood there, looking each other firmly in the eye. Both understood that an offer of friendship had been extended and a mutual agreement reached. Rory held out her hand. Tristin stared at the offered hand for a moment, then at the face of the girl who was offering it. Her blue eyes were sincere and her smile genuine. The setting sun's rays sent light reflecting off the brown strands of her hair. In his eyes, Rory saw the moment that his mind was made up. Tristin grasped her hand firmly, in the silent pledge of friendship. "Deal."  
  
  



	3. Luke

Sunlight filtered its way through the closed curtains and fell upon the sleeping form of Rory Gilmore. She unconsciously registered its presence and stirred. As her eyes slowly drifted open, she remembered yesterday's events. She was still shocked. Tristin living in Stars Hollow, Tristin being her friend, Tristin not being rich...the world had officially come to an end.  
  
A loud crash from the kitchen broke her train of thought. She wearily tumbled out of bed to go investigate. She was immediately hysterical, finding her mother in the middle of an ill fated cooking experiment. Egg shells were strewn all over the floor. The actual eggs were running in golden drops from the counter to the floor. Hearing her daughter's giggles, Lorelai turned around, making Rory laugh harder. Lorelai was a sight. Flour was dusted over her face and she had some weird combination of flour and egg caked in her hair. But the best part was the expression on her face. Half guilty child caught doing something she knows she shouldn't be doing, half stubborn Gilmore.   
  
"I was making breakfast," she said defensively.  
  
"You can't even make toast," Rory said flatly. Only her eyes, sparkling with amusement, showed her true feelings about the situation.  
  
"Well I wasn't making toast." She stuck her tongue out. "I was making pancakes."  
  
A wide smile appeared on her daughter's face. "Where did you even get this stuff? All we have in the house is coffee and peanut butter."  
  
Lorelai's eyes sparkled with mischief. "That, my dear, I will never tell."  
  
Rory groaned. "I don't even want to know."  
  
  
  
Tristin casually walked on the main street of Stars Hollow. He had been up early exploring the small town. His heart was lighter than it had ever been. There was an aura of excitement about him that had been missing for too long. He actually felt good. In retrospect, he thought, it wasn't that surprising. Although money had been an asset, it hadn't been a necessity for him. He liked it for the fact that it did occasionally help things out, but had come to the conclusion early on that it couldn't solve all his problems. He would have given up the money in a second for even a miniscule amount of genuine interest from those around him. And it seemed like it was finally happening. Maybe this life wouldn't be so bad after all.  
  
He was on his way to the hardware store. A friendly neighbor, only too happy to help, had pointed him in the right direction when he had inquired about a good place to get coffee. He was little confused as to why a hardware store would have good coffee, but he figured he would just go with the flow. He walked into the store and was surprised to find a diner. And the quirkiness abounds, he thought. He walked up to the counter to find a scruffy, no nonsense man wearing a backwards baseball cap.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Luke suspiciously.  
  
"Uh, I'm Tristin. My family just moved here yesterday."  
  
Luke gave him the once over, taking in his brand name clothes and the air about him that reeked of upper class. "Alright," he said gruffly, apparently satisfied that he wasn't an ax wielding psycho. "What can I get you?"  
  
"Coffee?"  
  
"Was that a question or a statement. Cause I don't like indecisive people. Pick a side and deal with it."  
  
"Okay, can I please have a cup of coffee."  
  
"No. That stuff will kill you."  
  
"Then why do you have a pot of it sitting right over there?" asked a frustrated Tristin.  
  
"That's for us!" chirped Lorelai as she and Rory walked in the door. "Luke knows not to trifle with me and coffee. Cause he knows that I would just stand here and beg and plead and whine until he gives up and gives me coffee."  
  
"You're psychotic."  
  
"And that's why you love me," Lorelai replied cheerfully.  
  
Luke glared, hoping that it was enough to cover his dismay at the true statement, and quickly gave all of them their coffee.  
  
The three moved to a table . "So how was your first night in Stars Hollow?"   
  
"Pretty good actually. Once you fended off the neighbors, we only caught them looking in our windows twice."  
  
"That's nothing," Rory replied. "Just wait until you do something like walk out the door. The whole town will know about it in five minutes flat."  
  
"We're fifth on the Stars Hollow gossip phone chain" stated Lorelai proudly.   
  
"You're kidding, right?"  
  
"Only about the phone chain thing. It's not actually a formal chain, more of an unofficial club."  
  
Tristin groaned. "So does this mean the whole town knows that I was parading around my room in drag last night?"  
  
"Down to the shade of lipstick."  
  
"Darn, the cat's out of the bag."  
  
"Don't worry," supplied Rory consolingly. "You'll be old news once everyone hears about Miss Patty's new mailbox."  
  
"Glad to hear it."  
  
"Hey, I gotta go meet Sookie at the inn! I almost forgot! Shoot!"  
  
"What are you waiting for? Go, go, go!"  
  
"I'm gone!" Lorelai yelled while running out.   
  
Tristin stared after her in amazement. "So that's your mom."  
  
Rory smiled affectionately. "That would be her."  
  
"She's great," Tristin said admiringly. "Now I know where you get it."  
  
"Get what? My addiction to coffee or impressive babbling skills? Although both are somewhat endearing, I get the feeling that they won't win me too many popularity contests."  
  
"Your wit and your beauty are what I was actually referring to."  
  
"Great," said Rory sarcastically. "Another comedian."  
  
Tristin shook his head in amazement. She really was oblivious. He decided to drop that topic of conversation before she got defensive. "So do you know where I could find some form of employment?"  
  
Rory looked surprised. "You want to work?"  
  
"I'm turning over a new leaf."  
  
"Okay, let's see..." Rory tapped her chin, thinking for a minute. "Well," she said slowly, "Luke is actually looking for some help around here..."  
  
"Wait a minute, the coffee guy? That's Luke?"  
  
"Yup!" Rory smiled at his discomfort.  
  
"No way. He doesn't like me. He wouldn't even give me coffee!"  
  
"Oh, he's a big teddy bear. He may look all disgruntled and dour, but underneath all that flannel he's a big softie. Let me go talk to him for a sec."  
  
Rory scrambled out of her chair and up to the counter. He saw her and Luke talking in low voices. It took a lot of finesse and animated hand gestures on her part, but Luke finally softened and nodded his consent gruffly. Rory smiled and engulfed him in a hug. Tristin smiled, seeing that Luke did indeed have a soft spot in his heart for Rory and her mother. Rory came bounding back to the table.  
  
"Okay, can you start Monday?"  
  
Tristin looked back over at Luke, who seemed to be sizing him up. Sensing his gaze, Luke firmly met his stare with his own, letting him know in no uncertain terms who was in charge.  
  
"Sounds good." Tristin smiled at the satisfied and more than pleased with herself Rory. This was going to be an interesting summer.  
  
  



	4. Lane Knows Best

disclaimer: I guess it's about time I had one of these. I own nothing. Really. Well, not really. I'm just an obsessive fan of the show who is shamelessly using the characters I love (but who belong to someone else) for my own purposes. And the title of this fic comes from Cold Play and their great CD Parachutes. Go buy it.  
  
A/N: To everyone who took the time to review this, my heartfelt thanks. I'd never had the courage to actually post anything I'd written before, so your supportive reviews encouraged me to no end. Thanks again!  
  
  
  
  
Rory and Lane walked into Luke's talking a mile a minute. They were so absorbed in conversation that they didn't notice that it was Tristin, not Luke, standing behind the counter. Tristin, who had noticed them as soon as the door opened, hid a smile. It was time to have some fun with Rory.  
  
"Hey Mary, what can I get you this fine morning?" Tristin asked smirking.  
  
Rory rolled her eyes, not taking offense to the playful insult. "Do you even have to ask? Fill 'er up, Burger Boy."  
  
"Sorry, no can do. I have strict orders from Flannel Man."  
  
"I heard that!" yelled Luke from the kitchen.  
  
The three teens swallowed their laughter and continued with the charade.  
  
"Maybe if you give me coffee, I'll forgive the 'Mary' slip up and let you live another day."  
  
"I think you're forgetting something," Tristin replied smugly.  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"I have the coffee. You need the coffee. I hold all the power." He lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned forward. "Maybe for a price, I could arrange something."  
  
He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, showing off his toned arms. Rory took no notice. Lane, who had been looking back and forth between the two with great interest, stored the entire encounter in her extremely reliable memory for future speculation.  
  
Rory contemplated the last comment for a second before sighing, conceding her defeat. "I'm really going to regret asking this, but what do I have to do?"  
  
Tristin considered his options, frowning thoughtfully. Nothing too flirtatious...they were in the beginning stages of a tentative friendship. He didn't want to jeopardize that. On the other hand, this was a golden opportunity...how could he pass this up?  
  
"Okay, I've got it."  
  
"What?" asked Rory suspiciously.  
  
"You and your friend..." he looked at Lane questioningly.  
  
"Lane," Lane supplied helpfully.  
  
Tristin flashed her a devastating smile in greeting. "You and Lane have to show me around town. Be my official tour guides. I want the attractions, the fast food, the good, the bad, anything. Scratch that. Everything."  
  
Rory considered for a minute. The idea of hanging with Tristin wasn't entirely unappetizing. It actually sounded like fun. She looked at Lane for her consent before nodding. "Okay, but I want the largest cup of coffee possible. You know what, just hand over the whole pot."  
  
Tristin willingly surrendered the prize. "What can I get you?" he asked Lane.  
  
"That's alright, I'm good," said Lane cheerily.  
  
"Well, it was nice meeting you," Tristin replied sincerely. "I'll see you two later." He gave them a small wave as they sought out a table by a window.  
  
Once they were settled, Lane stared at Rory thoughtfully. "Okay, spill."  
  
Rory looked up, startled. "What?"  
  
Lane sighed impatiently. "Okay, since when are you and Tristin so buddy buddy?"  
  
Rory briefly considered the question. "We've reached a mutual agreement...an understanding if you will."  
  
Lane nodded, waiting to hear more.  
  
"We both felt bad about the way things ended up at school. So we've..."  
  
"Wiped the slate clean?"  
  
"More of a forgive and forget type deal."  
  
"What's the difference?"  
  
"Well, 'wipe the slate clean' implies a complete starting over type thing, whereas with 'forgive and forget', the history is still there, just not acknowledged."  
  
"And how is the second more appealing than the first?"  
  
"Because not all of the history between us is bad...just most of it."  
  
"And the good..."  
  
"Is something that will not be mentioned. Ever. Again."  
  
"That's okay," Lane replied knowledgeably. "I already know anyway."  
  
Rory sighed. "I hate that you know me so well."  
  
"More like know your history so well." Lane smiled comfortingly at her best friend. "So why didn't you ever mention that he was so hot?"  
  
"Because, Miss I Know Your History So Well, his looks weren't the most prominent of his characteristics when we first met. I was too busy trying to avoid him to really look at him."  
  
"Hmmmm..." said Lane suggestively.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Notice how you didn't disagree with me."  
  
"I was just getting to that part."  
  
"I'm sure you were."  
  
"I really was."  
  
"So let's hear it."  
  
Rory paused. "Alright, I got nothing. He's hot."  
  
Lane gave her an interested look. "So..."  
  
"So nothing. We're friends."  
  
"Mmmhmmm"  
  
"What do you mean 'mmmhmmm'?"  
  
"I mean, do you usually get so flushed and tingly when you fight with your friends?"  
  
"I was not flushed and tingly!"  
  
"I know tingles when I see tingles. You had tingles!"  
  
"Lane, are you high?"  
  
Lane laughed. Rory was in denial. Well fine. Her feelings for Tristin would creep up out of nowhere and smack her in the face. And Lane would have a front row seat. She stood up. "Well, I have to get home. My mother is on one of her 'rock music means the devil' kicks and I have to go make sure my stash is safe."  
  
"Alright, I'll call you later. Bye!"  
  
"See you later!"  
  
Tristin wiped the counter, sneaking surreptitious glances at the girl seated alone by the window. He had overheard snatches of the conversation and was thoroughly amused by both Lane's gleeful accusations and Rory's vehement denials. Who needs Must See TV with the town's twenty four hours of entertainment? She was so innocent and naive. That was part of her charm. The world hadn't hardened her. She believed in fairy tales and the goodness of man. Tristin sighed. Too bad he had discovered the truth a long time ago...the world sucks. But Stars Hollow...maybe it was a world of its own.  
  
From the kitchen, Luke watched Tristin absently wipe the counter and stare at Rory. If anyone understood the allure of the Gilmore girls, it was him. Maybe that's why he hadn't really objected to giving the kid a break. He knew where the kid was coming from. Boy did he know.  
  
  
  



	5. Tours and Stars

  
  
Tristin slowly approached the Gilmore house. Before leaving Luke's, Rory had arranged for him to meet her and Lane at Rory's house for his promised tour. Why was he so nervous? It wasn't like a date or anything...right? Not a date. No date in sight. Just three friends, hanging out. That's exactly what is was. Really.   
  
"Hello Tristin!" screeched the short round woman from the porch next door. "We've been waiting for you to come pick up Rory ever since we heard she was giving you the tour!"   
  
Tristin vaguely remembered her name...Babette. That was it. "Hi Babette!" he said winsomely. "Rory and her friend Lane offered to show me around."  
  
"Isn't that nice? I heard all about it from Miss Patty."  
  
"Miss Patty?"  
  
"Yeah, she called me right up as soon as she heard it from Jackson."  
  
"Hey man," interrupted the laid back, extremely tall, thin Maury. "Tell Rory to show you Al's Pancake World. But don't eat the clams. They're not hip."  
  
"I'll show him," called Rory from the porch swing. She had witnessed the entire encounter and decided not to interfere. It was time that Tristin got a dose of small town life.  
  
Tristin breathed a sigh of relief. Rory to the rescue. "Ready to go? Where's Lane?"  
  
"She's grounded. Her mother found her CD collection and now she's grounded."  
  
"Are you kidding?"  
  
"Sadly, no. Here's a tip: never mess with a Korean mother. Especially if you aren't a future doctor."  
  
"Point taken."  
  
"Alright, I guess I'm left with the full tour guide responsibility. If you aren't one hundred percent satisfied with this tour, you are entitled to a refund of equal or lesser value to be paid in any of the following: peanut butter, coffee, or dirt."  
  
"Peanut butter, coffee, or dirt. Am I missing something here?"  
  
"Hey, it's the only things we have in the house."  
  
The two set off, Rory telling him in full technicolor detail every story and anecdote she had to share about the town. They finally stopped to rest on a bench, partly out of laziness and partly out of necessity, since Tristin was laughing so hard his stomach was cramping up.  
  
"So the day after Dean and I broke up, mom and I are sitting at Luke's. Everyone's being really nice to me, giving me anything they think I want. Luke is in the middle of trying to force feed me strawberries, when all of a sudden, he stalks out of the diner. The next thing I know, Luke has Dean in a headlock and they're struggling and shoving each other..." She broke into a fit of giggles.   
  
Tristin was already rolling on the ground laughing. He could practically see Luke with Dean in a headlock. He would give anything to have been there to witness it. He attempted to catch his breath and collect his thoughts. During the course of the conversation, it had come up that Dean and Rory weren't together and wouldn't be again. Interesting. And now she could even talk about the day after the break up and laugh over it. Even better.   
  
Both sprawled on the bench, trying to catch their breaths. What had started out as a tour had eventually turned into telling stories and relating incidents of the town. Tristin found this to be a better "guide" of the town than any tour. Now he had the information to figure out who these people really were and what made them tick. He was beginning to love this town and was already more attached to it in the few days that he had lived there than he was to Hartford after sixteen years.  
  
"Can I ask you a personal question?" asked Rory after a few minutes of comfortable silence.  
  
"Okay, shoot."  
  
"Do you miss the money?"  
  
Tristin considered for a few seconds before responding. "Truthfully, maybe a little bit. I'd never had to work for anything and always got whatever I wanted whenever I wanted it. But none of it ever made me happy. I never knew there was more out there, I just always assumed that everyone else felt empty too. Then when we lost so much money and things changed, they changed for the better. I mean, at first I was miserable. The only thing I had was money and then it was taken away. But gradually other things replaced it. My parents started to work things out with each other and with me. I'm happier now than I have ever been in my life."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"I suppose because I'm finally figuring out who I am. I feel very...free."  
  
Rory smiled. "I'm happy for you."  
  
Tristin smiled back, holding her hand in his. "Thanks."  
  
Both sat back, looking up at the stars. They were too comfortable to move, so they didn't. Neither noticed Miss Patty, watching them from her dance studio, pull out her cell phone. "Hello, Taylor, dear. Guess what..."  
  
"Do you ever feel insignificant?" wondered Tristin.  
  
Rory was startled out of her drowsy musings by the question. "How so?"  
  
"Looking up at the stars like this, seeing them so far away and so...distant. Do you ever feel insignificant?"  
  
"All the time," Rory admitted. "Sometimes it just feels like there are so many big great things out there, and meanwhile I'm just sort of...here. It makes me question my role in the bigger picture."  
  
"So you believe there is a bigger picture."  
  
"Definitely," said Rory, warming up to the conversation. "I think we're all here for a reason, we just can't see it yet."  
  
"Do you think that every person has a predetermined role in the big picture, or is it open for interpretation?"  
  
"You mean like free will and self determination?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Maybe we're only free to be the people we are."  
  
Both pondered the possible implications of that statement.  
  
"You know what I've concluded?" asked Tristin.  
  
"What?"  
  
"That it's time for some coffee."  
  
"What a coincidence. That is my thought exactly. It must be predetermined in the stars for us to drink coffee right now."  
  
"It's predetermined in the stars that you drink coffee period."  
  
"Oh, shush!"  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Thanks for the tour."  
  
  
  



	6. Midnight Run

  
  
Rory knocked on the door of Luke's, waiting to see if it would be answered. It was unusually late for her to be out, but she needed coffee. She was surprised when Tristin answered the door.  
  
"Hey," Rory said in greeting. "Where's Luke?"  
  
"Family emergency. He had to take off, leaving him no choice but to trust me to close." Tristin grinned. "What are you doing here so late?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep. I thought some coffee would help."  
  
"How would coffee help you sleep? Wouldn't it do the opposite?"  
  
"It may work that way for the rookies, but in the Gilmore household, coffee is the equivalent of warm milk and counting sheep."  
  
"You know, they probably make some sort of pill for people like you..."  
  
"Ha ha ha," said Rory sarcastically.  
  
"...I think it's called Ritalin," he finished.  
  
Rory glared at him.  
  
"Or maybe some sort of shock therapy."  
  
"Let me be the first to tell you that withholding coffee from a Gilmore during stressful situations such as this will only invite physical harm."  
  
"You promise?" he teased.  
  
"You're impossible!" Rory groaned.  
  
Tristin grinned at her, unashamed. What was it about Rory that made him feel so invigorated? The verbal banter. She could take any of his barbs and fling it straight back at him one hundred times better. Her wit was boundless.  
  
"I have an idea," volunteered Tristin.  
  
"Do I even want to hear this?"  
  
"Probably not, but it's healthier than your coffee addiction. At least hear me out."   
  
"Okay. Shoot."  
  
"Instead of drinking coffee to get you to sleep, lets wear you out instead."  
  
"And how would we go about accomplishing that?" asked Rory suspiciously.  
  
"I was thinking we could go for a run."  
  
"A run? Are you crazy! It's midnight!"  
  
"What, are you afraid you'll get mugged or something? Cause I volunteer my services as knight in shining armor."  
  
"My hero," said Rory, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Come on, let's go for a run."  
  
"But...I'm not really athletic. I'll probably trip and break something. And I don't even like running. You get all tired and out of breath and hot and sweaty... and..." Rory tried to gauge Tristin's reaction, seeing if there was any way to avoid this. She sighed. "I guess I'm going running."  
  
"Hey, think of it this way. If you are as 'not athletic' as you say you are, this shouldn't take long."   
  
Tristin busily went about closing the diner while Rory resigned herself to running. She really hated running.  
  
Ten minutes later, they both stood outside on the pavement stretching. They started down Main Street, running in the opposite direction of Rory's house. They figured they would make a circle around town before ending up at Rory's.   
  
Tristin was impressed that Rory was holding her own. Not bad, for someone as "not athletic" as she claimed to be. He decided to see how far he could push her. Without breaking stride, he poked her side, just under her ribcage.   
  
"Hey! Cut it out!" she panted.  
  
"No." Another poke.  
  
"I'm warning you..."  
  
"What are you going to do about it?" Poke.  
  
"That's it..." Rory growled.  
  
Tristin took off, lightening speed, knowing that Rory was right behind him. He laughed. It was so easy to bait her.  
  
"Hey, come back here!" Rory yelled.  
  
Tristin laughed. "You can't catch me!" He started weaving in and out of bushes and trash cans, knocking over a few.  
  
Rory pumped harder, starting to gain on him. Tristin looked back, noting that she was determined as hell to catch him. Luckily, her house was in sight. He sprinted like crazy, wanting to beat her and have the last laugh. Maybe that's why he was so surprised when Rory's small form tackled him from behind and sent them both flying onto the lawn of Maury and Babette's house. They both sprawled on the grass laughing hysterically.   
  
Inside the house, a light came on, unnoticed by them. Minutes later, Babette's face appeared in a window, baseball bat in plain view. She breathed a sigh of relief at seeing only Tristin and Rory lying on her lawn laughing. Wait a minute. What were Tristin and Rory doing on her lawn laughing so late at night? Babette walked to the door and grasped the knob, ready to go out and send them both home. But then she stopped and thought for a minute. She had heard from Patty about the two of them holding hands looking at the stars the other day. Maybe she would be interrupting something. She knew Rory was a good kid and they weren't causing any harm. Besides, they just looked so happy together! Having made up her mind, Babette returned the baseball bat to its place by the door and returned to bed. She would have a great story to tell everyone tomorrow.  
  
When the two teens finally calmed down enough to talk, Tristin insisted that they needed to stretch again.  
  
"You're mean," complained Rory.  
  
"It was for your own good. I had to do something to wean you off the coffee."  
  
"Ha, good luck. I'll never be weaned off of coffee and I'd never even attempt it. I love it too much."  
  
"You're just in denial. But pretty soon you'll realize you have a serious problem. Kick the habit, one cup at a time."  
  
Rory laughed. "You are so weird."  
  
"From you, I take that as a compliment. So, how do you feel?"  
  
"Tired. But good tired," she admitted.  
  
"And on that note, I will see you tomorrow."  
  
"Okay," agreed Rory. "I really appreciate the run. It means a lot that you were willing to do this for me."  
  
"That's what friends are for," he smiled.  
  
"That is so cheesy!" groaned Rory.  
  
"Fine, then next time you can go running by yourself."  
  
"Next time I'll just drink a cup of coffee. Good night!" Rory waved from her door, then went inside.   
  
Tristin waited for all the lights in the house to go out before heading for home. Man was he going to be sore tomorrow.  
  
  



	7. Bag Boy

disclaimer: The song "If I Had $1000000" is one hundred percent Barenaked Ladies from their fabulous album Gordon. Yeah Fez 2001! The movie Forbidden Planet isn't mine, but the opinions are. Go watch it.  
  
  
  
Tristin walked into Doose's Market whistling cheerfully. He hadn't even lived in town for a week but he felt like he'd lived there all his life. Sure, the neighbors were a little...overly curious sometimes, but he'd take that over snobby and cutthroat in a heartbeat. Luke had given him the day off, so when his mother had mentioned a few things she needed from the market, he'd volunteered to go. His mother had turned out to be a surprisingly good cook, considering she'd never had to do the cooking before. She even seemed to enjoy doing it.  
  
So Tristin found himself wandering around the market, trying to find the items on his list.  
  
"Hello Tristin! Anything I can help you with today?"  
  
"Hey Taylor! Actually, I need some help finding some of this stuff."  
  
"Okay, stay right here. I'll go get the bag boy to help you."  
  
A few minutes later, Dean appeared from around the corner. He stopped dead in his tracks. "You have got to be kidding me."  
  
Tristin sighed. He had known this confrontation would have to happen eventually. "Look, I'm not here to fight. And I'm sorry that I picked a fight with you at the dance."  
  
"Why? Because you ended up looking like the idiot?"  
  
Tristin chose not to respond to that comment. It would only make things worse. "Will you just tell me where to find this stuff so I can get out of here?"  
  
"Fine. The sooner I don't have to look at you the happier I'll be."  
  
Dean stalked around the store, picking up the items on the list. Tristin followed him. "Why are you still so angry about that? It was months ago. Rory's gotten over it."   
  
Dean considered for a second. "I don't like you. You're an arrogant rich boy. You've never had to work for anything in your life."   
  
"I'm guessing the town rumor mill hasn't updated you yet. I'm not a rich boy anymore. And believe it or not, I've changed."   
  
"People like you don't change. Why are you telling me this anyway? Why the need to explain yourself? Shouldn't you be trying to get in good with Rory?"  
  
"Rory and I are friends now. I'm not trying to 'get in good' with her. I'm just want to be her friend, that's all."  
  
"I know exactly what you want. And I don't care what everyone else is saying, I know that Rory is too smart to get involved with someone like you."  
  
By now Tristin was barely controlling his anger. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Forget I mentioned it," he spat. "But know this: even though Rory and I no longer have those kinds of feelings for each other, I still care for her deeply. I will not hesitate to beat you into the ground if you so much as look at her the wrong way."  
  
"I would never hurt her," Tristin shot back emphatically.  
  
Both boys glared at each other. Each recognized the truth in the other's words. And the seeds of mutual respect were sown.  
  
"Here's your stuff," Dean said. His tone was lacking the usual hostility.  
  
"Thanks," said Tristin civilly. He paid for his purchases and walked out the door. Dean watched him leave, then went back to restocking the shelves.  
  
Taylor, of course, had been huddled on the other side of the aisle listening to the whole exchange. He whipped out his cell phone. "Hey Jackson. Guess who just came into the store..."  
  
After a quick stop at home to drop off the groceries, Tristin found himself walking once again to the Gilmore house. He found Rory sitting on the porch with her back to him. She had headphones over her ears and was singing along softly with the CD. "If I had a million dollars...I'd build a tree fort in our yard."  
  
Tristin smiled at her adoringly, not bothering to hide his true emotions from her turned back. She looked so beautiful, sitting on the gently swaying porch swing bobbing her head enthusiastically to one of his favorite bands.  
  
"If I had a million dollars...I'd buy you a fur coat..." she sang softly.  
  
Tristin quietly crept up behind her and put his lips up next to her ear. "But not a real fur coat that's cruel," he belted out.  
  
Rory jumped, startled. She smiled when she saw Tristin and continued singing along. "If I had a million dollars..."  
  
"If I had a million dollars..." Tristin echoed.  
  
"I'd buy you an exotic pet." Rory smiled, having a great time.  
  
"Like a llama or an emu!"  
  
"If I had a million dollars..." Rory sang louder, her confidence building.  
  
"...If I had a million dollars."  
  
"I'd buy you John Merrick's remains..."  
  
"...All them crazy elephant bones."  
  
"If I had a million dollars, I'd buy your love," they sang in unison.  
  
Rory shut off her CD player and removed her headphones. Tristin was grinning at her smugly. "I've always wanted to be serenaded," he dead panned.  
  
Rory rolled her eyes. "That, my friend, was what we call a duet."  
  
Tristin shrugged. "Details, details."  
  
"So I hear you ran into Dean."  
  
Tristin didn't even question the fact that she already knew about this. He was beginning to get used to the 'unofficial gossip club'.  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
"There wasn't a fight in the market was there?"  
  
"It wasn't too bad, we only knocked over one display of toilet paper."  
  
"What!"  
  
"Relax, I'm just kidding."  
  
"Seriously, how did it go?"  
  
"Let's just say that I'm fairly confident that he wouldn't murder me in my sleep, given the chance."  
  
"Well, that certainly is an improvement." Rory looked at Tristin. He seemed relaxed and proud of the fact that he had avoided a fight with Dean. But there was something else about him...something different. What was it?  
  
"So let's go pick up Lane and see a movie!" Tristin said enthusiastically.  
  
"Sounds like a plan," said Rory. Whatever it was, she would figure it out later.  
  
"I hear 'Forbidden Planet' is playing. One of the greatest sci-fi flicks ever made."  
  
"You are insane. And since when are you such a sci-fi fanatic?"  
  
"Oh come on! It was a pioneer! It set the stage for every sci-fi film after it! And Leslie Neilson's in it!"  
  
"The Naked Gun guy? Now this I've gotta see. I just can't see him in a serious role..." Rory rambled on about the pitfalls of typecasting in Hollywood.  
  
Tristin smiled, listening to her opinionated diatribe. "If I had a million dollars, I'd buy your love," he whispered under his breath.  
  
"What was that?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
  



	8. Heat Wave

  
Rory was listlessly lying on the couch fanning herself with a magazine. Fate dictated that the air conditioning in the Gilmore household would die a horrible death in the middle of the longest heat wave the town had ever seen. While Lorelai was lucky enough to be able to escape to the climate controlled inn, Rory was stuck in the house waiting for the repair guy. She jumped up hopefully when the doorbell rang. She swung the door open to reveal...Tristin.  
  
"Oh, it's only you," she sighed.  
  
"Why so cheery?" he asked. "By the way, you look like hell." Which was actually pretty far from the truth, he admitted to himself. True, her face was flushed...and her hair, though pulled up in a ponytail, was escaping from it's rubber band in tiny, curling tendrils...and her tank top and shorts clung to her from the heat...and her eyes flashed hotter than the sun...she had never looked better.  
  
"The air conditioner has been broken since yesterday afternoon, I got the worst night's sleep ever because of it, and it's even too hot to drink coffee! This is my own personal hell," she pouted.  
  
"So why don't you just go to Luke's or the inn or Lane's?"  
  
"I'm waiting for the repair guy to come so we don't have to suffer through another night of this. So what are you doing here?"  
  
"I was bored," he shrugged. "So bored, in fact, that I'm willing to wait here in this hell hole with you until the repair guy comes."  
  
"What's in it for you?"  
  
"You have to entertain me once the repair guy leaves," he smirked.  
  
"Fair enough, I guess." Secretly, Rory was pleased to see Tristin. Since they had become friends and he had started coming over to hang, she had gotten used to his constant presence. She even missed him when he wasn't around. Not that she would ever tell him that. Best to keep the ego in check.  
  
"So what's your favorite color popsicle?" Tristin asked.  
  
"Definitely...green. Yeah, green." As she had gotten to know him better, Rory found that one of his most endearing quirks was his randomness. Sometimes she wondered what went on in his mind. But then she thought that maybe it was better she didn't know.   
  
"I don't know. I think I'm more of a blue kind of person myself."  
  
"I'm sorry, this isn't going to work out. I don't think I can be friends with you anymore."  
  
"I guess I'll have to seek elsewhere for companionship."  
  
"Don't bother. No one else would tolerate you."  
  
"But you being the virtuous, kind hearted soul that you are, took me in..."  
  
"What can I say? I'm a regular saint."  
  
"...and showed me the true meaning of friendship..."  
  
"Just like one of those cheesy after school specials."  
  
"..only to chew me up and toss me out over a minor disagreement..."  
  
"The plot thickens."  
  
"...forcing me to take drastic measures...and..."  
  
"And what?"  
  
"...and..." he repeated.  
  
"And?" she prompted.  
  
"...and ax murder her in her sleep."  
  
"Wow, all that over popsicles."  
  
"It's a crazy world we live in," he stated sagely.  
  
Before Rory could respond, there was a knock at the door. Rory opened the door and practically shoved the poor repair guy into the basement. "Thank God!" Rory smiled. "We can get out of here as soon as he leaves."  
  
An hour later, the repair guy finally had the air conditioning functioning. But it was going to take awhile for the house to get cool. "Alright, let's blow this popsicle stand!" said Tristin.  
  
"Where to?" asked Rory.  
  
"It's a surprise," he said mysteriously.  
  
They walked amiably to Tristin's house where he retrieved his car. He was grateful that his parents had insisted he hold onto one of his cars. They drove out of Stars Hollow and took off down the highway toward Hartford. Tristin had the windows down and the radio cranked up. He looked over, to see Rory's head out of the window. The wind whipped more of Rory's long hair loose from the ponytail. He laughed. She was letting loose and having a great time.  
  
The car slowed to a stop in front of a convenience store. "Come on," said Tristin, hopping out of the car.  
  
Rory followed suit, wondering what he had up his sleeve. As soon as she walked in the store, it all made sense. Over in the corner, like an oasis in the middle of the desert, stood the iced cappuccino machine. Rory walked up to it and gazed at it lovingly. "Oh coffee," she said tenderly. "How I've missed you."  
  
Tristin stifled his laughter. He picked out two of the largest size cups and filled them up. He took them over to the counter and paid, Rory following him like a lovesick puppy. Her gaze never wandered from the cup that held her life's blood.  
  
Back in the car, Tristin put his cup in a cup holder while Rory dug right in. "Where are we going now?" she asked between gulps.  
  
"You'll see."  
  
Rory was surprised when the car pulled onto the highway heading back towards Stars Hollow. "We're going back?"  
  
"You're a quick one," he said wryly.  
  
"There's nothing in that town that I don't already know about."  
  
"We'll see about that," he smiled secretively.  
  
The car passed the "WELCOME TO STARS HOLLOW" sign and drove to Tristin's house. "Wait here for a sec." He disappeared into his garage and returned with a white plastic bag.  
  
"What's in there?"  
  
"You know, some people believe that patience is a virtue."  
  
"They've obviously never met you."  
  
"Come on!" he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the car. They walked toward the center of town. Upon arriving at Luke's, Tristin made Rory wait outside while he went to get "something".   
  
A few minutes later, a cold stream of water hit Rory squarely in the back. She turned around and was delighted to see a sprinkler directly in the middle of the pavement outside Luke's. "A sprinkler!" she said excitedly. Tristin and Rory chased each other through the drops of water, not caring that they were within range of the unofficial gossip club's unofficial headquarters, Miss Patty's dance studio, or that they were fully clothed. Within fifteen minutes, the majority of the town's little kids had joined them, along with a few adults.  
  
Miss Patty stood outside the door of her dance studio, a pleased smile on her face. She watched the crowd of people frolicking in the middle of town, particularly the two that had started the whole thing. Talk about a heat wave...   
  
  
  



	9. Denial

A/N: Sorry for the long breaks between updates, but I've been having trouble with fanfiction.net ever since the "big shut down" as I like to call it. Anyway, I am continuing to write more but uploading is a real problem. Just so you don't think I've been slacking off. =)  
  
  
  
Lorelai hurried up to the counter at Luke's, obviously frazzled. Her disposition sagged a little upon not seeing Luke at the counter, but immediately lifted again when Tristin handed her a cup of coffee.  
  
"Wow, I didn't even have to beg!"  
  
"What else would you be here for?" Tristin deadpanned.  
  
"I like you better than Luke," said Lorelai, ignoring the rhetorical question. "Luke never just hands over the coffee. It's more of a beg, plead, threaten, whine thing. And then when he actually caves, he lectures the whole time, thereby spoiling the whole caffeine jump start process."  
  
"Would it make you feel better if I wore flannel and frowned more?"  
  
"It would be less of a shock to the system," Lorelai agreed.  
  
Tristin just smiled. Rory was exactly like her mother. While Lorelai was oblivious to Luke's feelings for her (and, Tristin suspected, to her feelings for him), Rory was clueless when it came to Tristin's feelings for her. Looks like the coffee addiction wasn't the only thing that ran in the family...apparently denial was also in the genes.  
  
"So what's new? You look a little wired."  
  
"Rough day at the office. Nothing a little coffee won't fix!" Lorelai grinned cheerfully, already relaxing. "So what's new with you? Planning on throwing another sprinkler extravaganza anytime soon? Cause I'm really disappointed that I missed out on the last one."  
  
Tristin rolled his eyes. The town was still talking about it. And it had happened over a week ago! Not that it hadn't been fun...it had been one of most memorable moments of his life.   
  
Lorelai caught his expression and smiled secretly to herself. Just as she had suspected. She tried to come up with a diplomatic way to ask the question. Finding none, she just threw it out on the table.  
  
"So what's up with you and Rory?"  
  
"What?" he managed to choke out. Her question had taken him completely by surprise. He had known that someone would eventually ask it, but he still wasn't prepared with an answer. How could he explain it to a third party when he couldn't even begin to piece together the complexities of the situation himself?  
  
Lorelai smiled delightedly at seeing his deer caught in headlights expression. Which he suppressed skillfully. But it was too late. The damage was done.  
  
"We're friends," he said diplomatically.  
  
"I know that, Mr. State the Obvious. What I really meant to ask was you like Rory!"  
  
"That wasn't a question!"  
  
"Oh, stop trying to change the subject!" She disregarded his last statement with a dismissive wave of her hand. She leaned closer, trying to squish all the information out of him. "Do you like Rory?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine curiosity and caring.  
  
"Is it that obvious?" he sighed.   
  
"To everyone but her," said Lorelai sympathetically  
  
"Everyone!?"  
  
"The town even has a pool going. Whoever comes closest to the day that Rory wakes up and smells the coffee, so to speak, gets a pretty hefty pot of money."   
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
Lorelai nodded emphatically. "Think how much coffee that could buy me!"  
  
Tristin buried his face into the counter. "This is so not good."  
  
"Why not? Don't you want her to know? I know my daughter can be pretty oblivious when it comes to this kind of stuff," she stated ironically.  
  
"I do, but I don't. She's my best friend! It would be stupid to throw that away."  
  
"Who says you would be throwing it away? Maybe it would just add a new facet to the relationship."  
  
"I still can't take that chance. Just knowing her, being around her...she has given me so much. She's probably the best thing that's ever happened to me. It's taken so much just to be friends with her. I may want more, but she's not ready or willing to be more. And I accept that. I can be happy just being her friend."  
  
"For a second there, I almost believed you."  
  
"It's true," he insisted.  
  
"Once more, with feeling!"  
  
Tristin smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand and let out a frustrated groan.  
  
"You know, they say that you can't truly be a friend to someone if you want more...because friends are supposed to be honest with one another, and if you keep that secret desire hidden, it'll put up walls. Bad walls. Walls are bad," she emphasized.  
  
"Says who?"  
  
"Some very wise person."  
  
"Thanks, that's really helpful," he said sarcastically.  
  
"Tristin, I'm serious. I see the way you look at my daughter. I see the way she looks at you. I'm not blind. She may not realize it yet, but there's something there. Maybe you need to give it a little more time to grow, but it's there. Can't you see it?"  
  
"She could never feel that way about me," Tristin stated matter of factly.  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"She's too good for me."  
  
"Oh, come on! Where's the confident Tristin Dugrey, conqueror of all hearts!"  
  
"He moved. To China. Never to return."  
  
"Love knows no good or bad," Lorelai stated wisely. "It just happens. Who can explain it? Who can tell you why?"  
  
"Fools give you reasons, wise men never try," finished Tristin.   
  
"Damn, you saw South Pacific too. Way to steal my thunder."  
  
Tristin cracked a smile.  
  
"Well, here's something to think about," said Lorelai as she finished the last of her coffee. "Do you not want to pursue this because you're afraid to lose the relationship you already have, or is it more you're afraid of rejection and getting hurt?"  
  
Tristin pondered the question for a bit.  
  
"And on that note, it's back to the daily grind for me. I'm sure I'll see you around later," Lorelai commented. And with that, she was out the door.  
  
Tristin was shaken out of his reverie by the next customer. "Hey," he said, forcing his features into a smile. "What can I get you?"  
  
  
  
  
Later that night, Lorelai and Rory sat on the porch swing sipping lemonade.  
  
"You know what would make this lemonade so much better?" posed Lorelai.  
  
"I probably don't want to hear this," Rory said with a wry grin.  
  
"If it was coffee!!"  
  
Rory rolled her eyes. "Let's hear it for the one track mind."  
  
Lorelai grinned unashamedly. "And proud of it."  
  
Rory sighed thoughtfully.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong. What makes you think something is wrong?"  
  
"You sighed."  
  
"I did no such thing."  
  
"Alright, it must've been my imaginary friend Bob. Bob, what's wrong?" asked Lorelai with fake concern.  
  
"I just thought it was weird that Tristin hadn't dropped by yet."  
  
"Was he supposed to?"  
  
"Well, no, but he usually does."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Ah? Care to elaborate?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," Lorelai said casually. "You know, it's okay to admit that you miss him when he's not around."  
  
"And what gave you that impression?" snorted Rory.  
  
"Oh, my bad. It all goes back to the imaginary sigh."  
  
"Because I don't need him to entertain me twenty four hours a day. I'm perfectly capable of amusing myself. I'm a self sufficient person."  
  
"That you are."  
  
There was a minute of silence.  
  
"Okay, so I'm going to go over Tristin's now."  
  
"That's my girl."  
  
Rory hopped off the swing and went into the house to get shoes. Lorelai smiled in satisfaction.   
  
"See you later, Mom!" she yelled as she ran out the door.   
  
She stopped in her tracks when she saw Tristin coming up the front walk. She smiled brightly. "Hey! Where have you been?" she scolded lightly.  
  
"Sorry, I had some stuff to take care of," he answered cryptically. "But I'm all yours now!"  
  
"Ooh, lucky me," she said rolling her eyes.  
  
They continued walking down the front walk, waving over their shoulders to Lorelai. Tristin quickly glanced back at Lorelai, still sitting on the porch swing. She gave him a thumbs up sign. Tristin just shook his head, amused, and turned back to Rory.  
  
Lorelai watched the two teenagers slowly amble down the dusky street. Oh yeah. Definite denial.   
  
  
  
  



	10. Ignorance

A/N: Let me apologize in advance for the overall cheesiness and melodrama of this chapter. I was in a funky mood when I wrote this. If you really hate it or think that it just doesn't fit with the rest of the story, let me know and I'll replace it with something else. I just figured that I had to move things on a little bit, so this is the result.  
  
  
  
  
Rory and Lane were sprawled across Rory's bed. A stack of magazines and bags of candy were arranged between them. The stereo blared the new Better Than Ezra CD, Closer. It was a lazy summer afternoon late in August. It had been declared a girls only day, due to the fact that Tristin was working and the topic of conversation that Lane planned to spring on Rory. Not that she had the slightest clue. Yet. For the moment, both girls were content to kick back and talk about nothing. Until Rory unknowingly sealed her fate by mentioning Tristin.  
  
"Tristin told me the greatest joke yesterday..." Rory started cracking up in anticipation of the joke she was about to tell Lane.  
  
Lane smiled widely. That had been way too easy. Rory could barely make it through an afternoon without talking about him. "So you've been hanging with Tristin a lot lately, I see."  
  
Rory's eyes narrowed good naturedly. "Stop right there. I know where you're going. And it's not what you think."  
  
"How do you know what I think?"  
  
Rory just stared.  
  
"Okay, dumb question."  
  
"We're just friends."  
  
"I'm not disputing the friends part, I'm just doubtful about the four letter word you stuck in front of it."  
  
Rory blew a stray piece of hair off her forehead in exasperation. "How many times do I have to tell you people? Tristin and I are just friends!"  
  
"'You people?' So I'm not the only one who's mentioned it."  
  
"Well, no..."  
  
"Who else?"  
  
"My mom, Miss Patty, Taylor, Kirk, Babette..." Rory ticked off name after name from the imaginary list in her head.  
  
Lane stared at her in amazement. "And you don't find it strange that everyone is asking you the same question?"  
  
"Small town."  
  
"Rory, be honest with yourself!"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied stubbornly. She crossed her arms across her chest and pouted a little. The epitome of the defiant five year old.  
  
"Alright, alright. I surrender. We'll leave this particular battle for another day." She smiled at her friend, letting her know that she wasn't purposely trying to start a disagreement.   
  
Rory relaxed, happy that the matter had been dropped.  
  
"Well, I've got to get home. My mother is in one of her moods."  
  
"Say no more. I'll see you later!"  
  
"Oh, before I forget. I stumbled across this poem. You might want to read it." Lane handed her a folded up sheet of paper. "I'll talk to you later!" Lane smirked to herself as she let herself out of the Gilmore house. She really had resolved to not get involved, but Rory needed a little push. And Lane was positive that the poem would be just the right amount of nudging that Rory needed.  
  
Rory slowly unfolded the paper and read the title of the poem. She rolled her eyes, but continued to skim the lines of the poem. Then went back and read it a bit more carefully. Her eyes widening with understanding, she read it for a third and final time aloud.  
  
"I Do Not Love Thee, by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton." There's a mouthful, she thought to herself.  
  
"I do not love thee!-no! I do not love thee!  
And yet when thou art absent I am sad;  
And envy even the bright blue sky above thee,  
Whose quiet stars may see thee and be glad.  
  
I do not love thee!-yet, I know not why,  
Whate'er thou dost seems still well done, to me;  
And often in my solitude I sigh  
That those I do love are not more like thee!  
  
I do not love thee!-yet, when thou art gone,  
I hate the sound (though those who speak be dear)  
Which breaks the lingering echo of the tone  
Thy voice leaves upon my ear.  
  
I do not love thee!-yet thy speaking eyes,  
With their deep, bright, and most expressive blue,  
Between me and the midnight heaven arise,  
Oftener than any eyes I ever knew.  
  
I know I do not love thee! yet, alas!  
Others will scarcely trust my candid heart;  
And oft I catch them smiling as they pass,  
Because they see me gazing where thou art."  
  
Rory gazed at the paper thoughtfully for a second, before tucking it into the pages of her journal for safekeeping. It was obvious what Lane was trying to tell her. Lane thought that she had feelings for Tristin. But that's silly, Rory thought to herself. Tristin is my friend. Nothing more, nothing less. And so, Rory pushed those difficult thoughts out of her head for another day. As she always did whenever Tristin was concerned. When all else fails, deny all knowledge. Wasn't that her motto?  
  
  
  
  
Later on, when she met up with Tristin, Rory had an air of discomfort around her. She studied him more carefully than she would have on a normal day. She really looked at him and was surprised by what she saw. She saw a friendly yet sexy smile. She saw electrifying blue eyes. She saw her best friend, yet she also saw someone different. Things were changing...  
  
"Rory...hello?" Tristin snapped his fingers in front of her face.  
  
Her gaze slowly dragged itself to his.  
  
"Are you okay? You seem a little off today."  
  
She tilted her head to the side and studied him. Tristin could have sworn that he briefly saw...something...flash in her eyes. But in the next instant the thoughtful look had been replaced with the cheerful one he was so accustomed to.  
  
"Did you make the coffee today?" she accused.   
  
"I might have..." He was purposely noncommittal.  
  
"There's the answer to your question. I'm off today because the coffee was off. I am the coffee."  
  
Both went about their usual bantering conversation, while their thoughts were elsewhere. Something had changed somehow, without them noticing it. Both didn't know what to make of it. So they did what they were best at. They ignored it.   
  
  
  



	11. Time

A/N: This idea has been floating around in my head for quite awhile now. I think I finally have the chance to feasibly work it in. On a personal note, I leave for college tomorrow. YAY!!! So this is it. The last chapter...maybe. I'm not sure yet.  
  
  
  
  
The last day of summer. It was unreal. Where had the time gone? Time. One of the most powerful forces in the world. It lessens as well as strengthens. There seems to be so much of it, an unlimited quantity. Yet, when looked back upon, one realizes that it has flown by in an instant.  
  
Time was Tristin Dugrey's enemy. Within the next twenty four hours, he would be back in the hallways of Chilton, a changed person. To say that he was apprehensive would be the understatement of the century. What would everyone else think of him? Would they whisper behind his back or snub him to his face?  
  
The biggest question was how would Tristin himself act? Would he try to pretend like nothing had happened? As if everything was normal? Would he continue to strut up and down the hallways of Chilton as if he hadn't a care in the world, or would he allow them to see his metamorphosis?  
  
One thing remained constant. Rory would be by his side. She would stand by him and that's all that he could ever hope for. Rory understood him, as if she could see into his very soul. Tristin was amazed at the way their friendship had evolved over the summer. It was uncanny. Something between the two of them had just clicked. He couldn't imagine getting through the day without one of her smiles or hearing the sound of her voice. He briefly wondered if that was what love was like.   
  
Tristin paced around his room as restlessly as a caged animal. Big changes were coming, were already taking effect. And he was powerless to prevent them. It was becoming more and more evident to Tristin that soon, friendship wouldn't be enough. He wanted more. He needed more. But he wouldn't give up their friendship for anything in the world. So where did that leave him? Nowhere. Absolutely nowhere.   
  
  
  
  
Rory stood in front of her mirror, thoughtfully running a brush through her hair. She had to pick up Tristin very soon to go to the town's "End of Summer" Festival. But she couldn't get her hair to cooperate. Nothing she did looked right. She let out a screech of frustration before throwing herself onto her bed in a collapsed heap.  
  
"Hey, what's with the drama queen impression?" Lorelai poked her head cautiously into the room.   
  
"I need to pick up Tristin and my hair looks stupid!"  
  
"Stop the press! I can see the headlines now: TEENAGE GIRL HAS BAD HAIR DAY. The whole nation will be shocked."   
  
When she received no answer to her teasing jabs, she walked over to the bed and rubbed her daughter's back soothingly. "Hey, what's wrong? And I know it's not really the hair, so don't even try it."   
  
"It's everything! It's the hair, it's school tomorrow..."  
  
"...It's Tristin," supplied Lorelai.  
  
For the first time all summer, Rory didn't jump right into the vehement denials. She remained silent and contemplative.  
  
"Sit up, Babe," Lorelai commanded gently. She took the brush from her daughter's hand and began brushing the long strands out. "Have things changed between the two of you?"  
  
"I don't know...yes. Yes they have. We've become so close this summer. I don't know what I'd do without him. And that scares me. I've never been so attached to anyone before. Except for you," she amended sincerely.  
  
"Is that all?" Lorelai prompted.  
  
A blush began to sweep over her cheeks. "Well..."  
  
"I knew it!! I knew it!!" Lorelai jumped up from the bed triumphantly, taking Rory's head with her.  
  
"Mom! Calm down! Release the hair!!"  
  
"Sorry, sorry." She sat back down and returned to her previous task. "When did this happen?"  
  
"It kind of crept up on me."  
  
"So was it more around the sprinkler fest, tour of the town, or maybe that midnight run?"  
  
"It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment." Her eyes sparkled a clear aqua and her lips curved into a blissful smile.  
  
"So what's the problem?"  
  
The smile faded. "He could never go for me."  
  
Lorelai's jaw dropped. "Honey, you have no idea how it pains me to say this, but you are an idiot!"  
  
"Gee, thanks for the motherly support."  
  
"Have you not seen the way he looks at you?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Rory was genuinely lost.  
  
Lorelai smacked her forehead with her hand. "You know what? I have an idea. Go to Tristin's house. Pick him up. Go to the festival. At some point during the day, I want you to look into his eyes. Deep into his eyes. And then I want you to come home and tell me what you saw."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Just do it!"  
  
"If you say so," Rory shrugged. "Thanks for the tip, Nike ad."  
  
"Get outta here!" Lorelai pushed.  
  
"I'm gone!"  
  
  
  
  
Tristin swung open his door to reveal Rory, cheeks slightly rosy and hair down around her shoulders. His greeting smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Hey," he said softly.   
  
Rory remembered her mother's command and looked up into his eyes. They were cloudy and filled with...longing? For her? Her breath caught in her throat and she involuntarily took a step back.  
  
Tristin was at a loss for words. The blinders had been taken off. Their unspoken communication spoke volumes. The jig was up. Everything was out in the open. Realization shone brightly in her eyes.   
  
Realizing that she was backing away, Tristin reached forward and gently took her hand in his. He pulled her closer, closer until she was cradled safely within the shelter of his arms. He hugged her close to him, not wanting her to bolt. He felt her go limp in his arms as she melted into his embrace. His heart beat faster, drumming a cadence through his very soul.   
  
Rory wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. Nothing had ever felt so right before. How had she not seen it before? That look in his eyes...it had always been there. But for the first time, that very same look had been reflected from her eyes. Leading up to his very moment.  
  
Tristin pulled back a little, needing to see her eyes. He stooped lower and looked straight into the blue orbs. He absentmindedly twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. "Rory..." he started.  
  
She put a finger up to his lips, effectively quieting him. "I know."   
  
He smiled joyously, a smile that had never graced his features before. Her smile matched perfectly. Two halves of a whole. He bent his head, lower, lower. Their lips were magnetic, inexorably being pulled together. Closer, closer...  
  
A loud eruption of cheers and applause prevented the last few millimeters from being breached. Both heads snapped to face the direction of the unwelcome distraction. The whole town was standing on Tristin's lawn, cheering the couple on.  
  
They turned to face each other, amused but frustrated. Their foreheads touched and they looked deep into each other's eyes. "I think the gossip club finally caught up to us," Tristin said wryly.  
  
Rory looked at her watch. "Hmmm...five minutes. I'm surprised it took them that long. They're slipping."  
  
From the crowd, Miss Patty's very loud voice could be heard. "Who picked today?"  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
